Answer
The Cartier Crash Skeleton is a hand-wound watch with an openworked movement inside a twisted, off-center case. A replica crash skeleton is a copy of that watch. Prices run from about $70 for quartz models to $900 for clone-grade automatics. No replica uses the Cartier calibre 9618 MC. All of them copy a design Cartier still sells and protects.
What the original is
Cartier introduced the Crash in 1967 at its London boutique. The case is bent, long, and narrow. The dial sits off axis. The Crash Skeleton keeps those lines and removes the dial face, so the movement bridges form the numerals.
Cartier sold the Crash Skeleton in platinum as a limited edition. Press and auction reports cite 67 pieces. Cartier does not publish a count on a page we could verify, so treat that number as unconfirmed.
Case measurements for Crash models change with each release. Published figures fall between 25 mm and 28 mm across and 38 mm and 45 mm from lug to lug.
What replicas copy, and what they miss
- Case shape: most replicas match the outline at a glance. Many run 1 mm to 3 mm thicker than the original.
- Movement: quartz at the low end, a decorated automatic in the middle. The real watch is hand wound.
- Numeral bridges: openworked metal on the original. Printed or stamped on most copies.
- Crystal: mineral glass on cheap units, sapphire on the top tier.
- Crown: a blue cabochon on both. Replicas use synthetic spinel or glass.
- Strap: alligator on the original. Replica straps often use embossed calf leather.
Price tiers
- Under $100: quartz, mineral glass, plated alloy case, no real water resistance.
- $150 to $400: automatic movement, 316L steel case, sapphire option.
- $500 to $900: clone-grade case, better polishing, movement plates cut to look openworked.
Checks before you pay
- Ask for a movement photo and the beat rate. Quartz reads 32,768 Hz. A mechanical movement reads 21,600 or 28,800 vph.
- Ask for case thickness in millimeters.
- Ask for the weight in grams.
- Ask for the return window in writing.
- Ask who pays if customs seizes the parcel.
Seller spec sheets are not verified. A photo of the watch on a scale or beside calipers tells you more than a listing.
Legal status in the US
Cartier holds trademarks and design rights on the Crash. US Customs and Border Protection can seize counterfeit watches at import, and the trademark owner can record its marks with the agency. Buying or importing a counterfeit item is illegal in the US. Sellers do not state this on a product page.